PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- For the first time in program history, Rutgers volleyball has a Big Ten Player of the Week.

Redshirt junior Alissa Kinkela was named the Big Ten Co-Player of the Week by the Big Ten Conference after pounding out 5.30 kills per set and hitting .446 along with an average 2.40 digs per set and six blocks in RU's two five-set Big Ten openers last week. Kinkela set the program record for kills in a match and became the seventh Scarlet Knight of the rally era to reach the 800 career kill mark.
 

Against Iowa, Kinkela set a host of Scarlet Knight records with her 29 kills. She surpassed her previous career high of 21 set against Michigan State on Nov. 23, 2022. She bested the RU Big Ten record of kills in a match exceeding the previous mark of 25 set by Meme Fletcher versus Maryland on Oct. 21, 2015. She then collected the Rutgers rally-era record in kills in a match passing the previous record of 27 registered by Fletcher versus Long Beach State on Sept. 5, 2015. Her 29 kills also marked the second-most in a match by a player in the conference this season. Kinkela, who hit .429 against the Hawkeyes, also collected 10 digs for her second double-double of the season and ninth of her career. She also tied her season-high with four blocks.

Kinkela followed that performance with another 20+ kill outing helping Rutgers collect two set wins over Michigan for the first time in program history and the first set win in Ann Arbor since 2015. The Melbourne, Australia product surpassed the 800 career kill mark behind 24 kills and a .432 hitting percentage. She also added 14 digs, one shy of her career mark, for her third double-double of the season and 10th of her career.

On the season, Kinkela is averaging 3.63 kills, 1.80 digs and 0.74 blocks per set and hitting at .300 clip.

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